Future Wildcats get taste of UNH

DURHAM — The next time Tyler Kelleher takes the ice at the Whittemore Center he’ll be one of the good guys.

He skated there Sunday with the traveling U.S. U18 national squad, but is looking forward to next fall when he’s expected to join the University of New Hampshire hockey team.

“I can’t wait,” Kelleher said. “I committed like two years ago so it feels like a while ago, but now it’s getting closer and closer. I’m getting more and more excited.”

Kelleher and his band of nomads were pretty excited Sunday when they scored twice in 36 seconds midway through the third period to tie up the then No. 1 Wildcats.

The 2-2 deadlock, in which the visitors trailed 2-0 after two periods, extended their unbeaten streak to 12 games (9-0-3).

“That was cool,” he said. “We came out sloppy in the first two periods and our coach came in the locker room after the second period and said forget about what happened so far and show what you’re made of. We came out in the third period and gave it our all.”

Kelleher, who is listed at 5-6 and 154 pounds, didn’t figure in the scoring Sunday, but did have a goal and an assist Saturday night in a 3-1 win over Merrimack to add to his team-leading totals of 13 goals and 25 points.

He finished with 26 goals and a team-high 48 points in 55 games for the U17 squad last season.

“Kelleher’s a talented kid, especially down low and in tight,” said NTDP goalie coach and former UNH standout Mike Ayers. “Loves to score goals. He’ll thrive here, especially with the big ice sheet.”

It wasn’t Kelleher’s first experience at the Whitt; he’s played in several summer tournaments there.

“I always dreamed of playing in Hockey East,” said Kelleher, whose younger brother has verbally committed to UNH. “I grew up going to UMass-Amherst games. Once I had a chance to come to a place like UNH I just loved it as soon as I got here.”

Shane Eiserman, who also played for the U.S. U18 team Sunday, can’t wait to wear the UNH jersey either. That’s what attracted him to the program in the first place.

Eiserman is in his first year with the U.S. National Team Development Program, and is a product of St. John’s Prep and Cushing Academy.

“I always went to the Hockey East championship (in Boston) and I just loved UNH,” Eiserman said. “My brothers liked BC so I kind of wanted to be different.”

The 6-foot-2, 196-pound forward is scheduled to arrive at UNH in 2014. Both Eiserman and Kelleher are from Massachusetts.

“Shane has that typical power forward type mentality,” Ayers said. “Great kid. Works his tail off with all the off-ice stuff. Fits in the locker room great. Real good team guy. You’ve got two really good guys coming here.”

Northwood’s Curtis Frye is also on the U18 squad but hasn’t played because of a knee injury that required surgery and will likely keep him out for the season.

The 6-foot-4 goaltender previously played for Phillips Andover (Mass.) Academy and the U.S. U17 squad last season.

Frye was on the trip with the team last weekend because one of the stops was in New Hampshire.

“It’s bad timing,” Frye said. “I’ve been looking forward to this game for a while. It’s still good to come back and see everyone.”

Frye is currently a high school senior in Ann Arbor, Mich., where the NTDP is based. He was hurt right before the season started, tearing a ligament in his right knee.

“We were having goalie practice,” he said. “It was kind of a fluke thing. I went down and my knee popped. It was an unfortunate thing, but you can’t do anything about it except get back up and try again next year.”

Frye hopes to play junior hockey somewhere next year, whether it’s in the EJHL or the USHL.

He was drawing interest from several colleges, but that has waned in lieu of the injury.

“He’s a really talented kid,” Ayers said. “Last year he struggled with mono for a month and a half and that kind of set him behind. This year with the knee going, that was kind of tough. I think you’ll see him in a uniform down the line. Hopefully we’ll get him into a junior program next year and get him some games and get him moving forward.”

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